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XS Noize | Independent Music News
  • News
        • The Milk
          News

          The Milk Return with ‘Borderlands’ — Their Most Ambitious Album to Date

          August 15, 2025

          On 19 September, WLS Records will release The Milk’s sophisticated new album Borderlands, which features outstanding songwriting, deftly served by extraordinary musicianship, mixed with ambitious arrangements and world-class production. A lovingly crafted sonic memoir, it […]

          Silent Running
          News

          Belfast’s Silent Running Return with Fifth Album ‘Northstar’

          August 15, 2025

          Belfast’s Silent Running folded for a full 30 years after releasing their third album in 1989. One of Ireland’s biggest musical exports in the 1980s was burned out. They had headlined numerous nights at London’s […]

          Ronboy
          News

          Ronboy Returns with Haunting New Single “Disaster” Featuring The National’s Matt Berninger

          August 15, 2025

          Ronboy, the exciting artist project of musician Julia Laws, returns with a haunting new single “Disaster” featuring The National’s frontman Matt Berninger. The track first made its debut on Matt Berninger’s North American US Tour, […]

  • Reviews
        • Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Woody Guthrie – Woody At Home Volumes 1 & 2
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Woody Guthrie – Woody At Home Volumes 1 & 2

          August 13, 2025

          We are closing in on the 58th anniversary of Woody Guthrie’s death; complications from Huntington’s Disease finally sealed his fate on October 3rd, 1967. Despite the lengthy time that has passed, his fingerprints are still […]

          ALBUM REVIEW: Richard Hawley - Coles Corner (20th Anniversary)
          Album Reviews

          ALBUM REVIEW: Richard Hawley – Coles Corner (20th Anniversary)

          August 6, 2025

          When Coles Corner arrived in 2005, Richard Hawley had recently moved from Setanta to Mute Records, but musically, he was still rooted in the same soil — Sheffield. On paper, it could have been dismissed […]

        • Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Y/N - Esther Yi
          Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Y/N – Esther Yi

          October 30, 2023

          K-Pop has reached an international audience. This year, BLACKPINK made history as the first K-pop band to headline a major UK festival at Hyde Park. The media’s coverage of BTS member’s enlistment into compulsory military […]

          BOOK REVIEW: Sophomore Songs by Clarke Geddes
          Book Reviews

          BOOK REVIEW: Sophomore Songs by Clarke Geddes

          August 29, 2023

          How does one become qualified to write a fictional music novel? The author of Sophomore Songs offers some clues. Growing up reading NME, doing a stint at Clash, drumming for several bands on and off, and […]

        • Classic Albums

          ‘Pop’ at 25: Looking back at the orphan child in U2's discography 2
          Classic Albums

          ‘Pop’ at 26: Looking back at the orphan child in U2’s discography

          March 3, 2022

          In March of 1997, 26 years ago, U2 released their much anticipated ninth studio album POP; for fans and critics alike, it quickly became their most polarizing release. There is a prevailing feeling that POP […]

          CLASSIC ALBUM: Duran Duran – Duran Duran 2
          Album Reviews

          CLASSIC ALBUM: Duran Duran – Duran Duran

          June 17, 2021

          This week sees the 40th anniversary of Duran Duran’s self-titled debut album. XS Noize looks back on this momentous release from a band that would become the ‘Fab Five’ of the ‘80s. It was December […]

        • Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Wet Leg Turn Nottingham Into a Sing-Along Frenzy Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Wet Leg Turn Nottingham Into a Sing-Along Frenzy

          August 15, 2025

          Nottingham’s The Level was bursting at the seams on August 11th as Grammy-winning indie-rock darlings Wet Leg brought their Moisturizer tour to town — and they didn’t just play a gig, they turned it into […]

          LIVE REVIEW: Mangata Festival 2024: A Two-Day Triumph of Heavy Music Across Nottingham Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          Live Reviews

          LIVE REVIEW: Mangata Festival 2025: A Two-Day Triumph of Heavy Music Across Nottingham

          July 17, 2025

          Mangata Festival returned to Nottingham on July 12th, bringing with it a thunderous celebration of heavy music spread across multiple venues in the city. But the festivities began even earlier with Solgata, the official pre-party […]

        • Round Up

          XS Noize Best Albums of 2018
          Round Up

          XS Noize Best Albums of 2018

          December 22, 2018

          2018 has been an incredible year for albums. The year saw the strongest new acts in decades release their debuts, as well as a number of alternative legends returning to top form. The world of dance […]

          The Best Of October 2018 PLAYLIST + ROUND-UP
          Round Up

          The Best Of October 2018 PLAYLIST + ROUND-UP

          October 29, 2018

          Welcome to the October 2018 edition of our monthly new music playlist, which is available to listen to and watch via YouTube. If you enjoy any of the songs featured here, we encourage you to support […]

        • In Focus

          IN FOCUS// Bryan Adams Brings Joy and Nostalgia to Leeds on ‘Roll With the Punches’ Tour Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// Bryan Adams Brings Joy and Nostalgia to Leeds on ‘Roll With the Punches’ Tour

          May 20, 2025

          Legendary Canadian rocker Bryan Adams brought his unstoppable energy to Leeds on May 10th as part of his Roll With the Punches tour — and it was nothing short of a euphoric celebration of life, […]

          IN FOCUS// The Darkness Set Wembley Arena Alight with Glam Rock Glory Credit: Alina Salihbekova
          IN FOCUS

          IN FOCUS// The Darkness Set Wembley Arena Alight with Glam Rock Glory

          April 3, 2025

          On April 29th, one of Britain’s most electrifying live acts, The Darkness, lit up a sold-out OVO Wembley Arena with an impossible show to ignore. Kicking off the night in fine style were Ash, the […]

  • Gigs
        • jason
          Gigs

          Jason Derulo’s 2026 tour: Dates, venues, tickets, and more

          August 10, 2025

          Jason Derulo will be touring the UK in 2026, performing at some of the UK’s grandest venues in major cities. His return promises to be unforgettable, with electrifying dance moves, chart-topping bangers, and a voice […]

          OneRepublic
          Gigs

          The ultimate guide to OneRepublic’s tour

          August 8, 2025

          Pop-rock sensation OneRepublic will bring their “Sweet Escape Tour” to Australia and New Zealand next year. With support from special guest Zara Larsson, Ryan Tedder and the crew will bring their hit songs “Counting Stars” […]

          Metallica
          Gigs

          Everything you need to know about Metallica’s 2026 tour

          August 2, 2025

          From anthems to soulful ballads, Metallica is gearing up to take you on a unique journey through their 40-year catalogue. With no-repeat setlists, colossal stages, and an array of hard-hitting support acts, “M72 World Tour” […]

  • Interviews
        • Asha Maclean
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: Asha Maclean on Her Single “Yoga,” Creative Roots, and Staying True to Herself

          June 25, 2025

          Asha Maclean grew up in a deeply creative household, so it’s little surprise that she emerged as a multitalented artist in her own right. Immersed in music and dance from a young age, she first […]

          DURAN DURAN
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: Roger Taylor on the Rhythm of Duran Duran: Hits, Influences & Life on the Road

          June 19, 2025

          John Kearns talks to Duran Duran –  The Duran Duran European summer tour is now in full swing. The DD truck has already rolled into cities such as Antwerp, Amsterdam and Rome and will continue […]

          Stephen Moore
          Interviews

          INTERVIEW: Stephen Moore on Post Death Soundtrack’s New Album & HE IS ME

          June 12, 2025

          Post Death Soundtrack, the musical project of Stephen Moore, recently unveiled his fifth album, IN ALL MY NIGHTMARES I AM ALONE, a 30-track collection of songs ranging across the stylistic spectrum, including rock, Gothic rock, […]

  • Podcast
        • The Subways
          Podcasts

          The Subways: 20 Years of ‘Young For Eternity’ & What’s Next | XS Noize Podcast #240

          August 13, 2025

          In Episode #240 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Billy Lunn and Charlotte Cooper,  from The Subways, to mark the 20th anniversary of their debut album Young For Eternity and the […]

          XS Noize Podcast #239 – Bob Stanley on Saint Etienne’s final album International
          Podcasts

          Bob Stanley on Saint Etienne’s Final Album “International” and 30 Years of Music | XS Noize Podcast #239

          August 6, 2025

          In Episode #239 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Bob Stanley from Saint Etienne to discuss the legendary band’s 13th and final album, International. For over 30 years, Saint Etienne have […]

          Cam – Behind the Songs of 'All Things Light' and Life After a Grammy | XS Noize Podcast #238
          Podcasts

          Cam – “All Things Light”: Behind the Songs & Grammy Reflections | XS Noize Podcast #238

          July 30, 2025

          In Episode #238 of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Cam to talk about her new album, All Things Light. From her multi-platinum hit “Burning House” to co-writing on Beyoncé’s […]

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Articles by Michael Barron

Xsnoize Author
Michael Barron
Michael first began writing whilst studying at university; reviewing the latest releases and live gigs. He has since contributed to the Fortean Times as well as other publications. Michael’s musical tastes vary from Indie to psychedelic, folk and dubstep.
Website
ASH Share performances from the BBC Biggest Weekend with The Undertones’ Damien O’Neill & Mickey Bradley
Live Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: Ash – Kentish Town Forum, London

October 25, 2018 Michael Barron

Following the release of their latest album, Islands, back in May, Ash embarked upon a UK tour of this album. XS Noize was invited to see the now three-piece from Downpatrick, Northern Ireland plug their […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Shotty Horroh - Salt of the Earth
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Shotty Horroh – Salt of the Earth

October 8, 2018 Michael Barron

In a recent interview with Xs Noize, Shotty Horroh (Adam Rooney) told us: “Music, in my opinion, has gone a bit two dimensional lately – you kind of know what the formula is going to […]

BOOK REVIEW: The Cure: A Perfect Dream  By Ian Gittins 1
Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Cure: A Perfect Dream By Ian Gittins

October 2, 2018 Michael Barron

A Perfect Dream tells the story about a band that formed in 1976 in Crawley beginning their lives as “The Obelisk”, then “Malice” then “Easy Cure” and finally “The Cure”. A Perfect Dream coincides with […]

BOOK REVIEW: MONK! Thelonious, Pannonica, and the Friendship Behind a Musical Revolution by Youssef Daoudi 1
Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: MONK! Thelonious, Pannonica, and the Friendship Behind a Musical Revolution by Youssef Daoudi

September 26, 2018 Michael Barron

What makes the late jazz pianist Thelonious Sphere Monk special and unique is that to find out more about him, we need to delve into the lives of other people and learn about them in […]

BOOK REVIEW: Outlaw Pete - Bruce Springsteen and Frank Caruso
Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Outlaw Pete – Bruce Springsteen and Frank Caruso

September 17, 2018 Michael Barron

What makes “Outlaw Pete” fascinating is not just the story itself surrounding a “6-month-old, bank-robbing baby”, but the story behind the story.  “Outlaw Pete” began its life not as a book, but as the opening […]

BOOK REVIEW: We’re Going to Be Friends by Jack White
Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: We’re Going to Be Friends by Jack White

September 9, 2018 Michael Barron

If there was ever going to be a The White Stripes songs adapted into an animated book, one would have expected it to have been “Seven Nation Army”. The case is resolute. “Seven Nation Army” […]

BOOK REVIEW: The Beatles - Yellow Submarine
Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Beatles – Yellow Submarine

September 4, 2018 Michael Barron

Xs Noize was invited to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of The Beatles Yellow Submarine film by taking readers (courtesy of Titan Comics) through the new A4 hardcover 112-page graphic novel of the film by Bill […]

REVIEW: London Folk Festival 2018, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, London
Live Reviews

REVIEW: London Folk Festival 2018, Cecil Sharp House, Camden, London

September 3, 2018 Michael Barron

Xs Noize was invited to celebrate the London Folk Festivals fifth year at Cecil Sharp House. This event hosted by Folkonmonday offered a programme of sixteen acts across three categories of events: 1. live concerts, […]

BOOK REVIEW: Nick Thorburn - 'Penguins'
Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Nick Thorburn – ‘Penguins’

September 1, 2018 Michael Barron

In June and July XS Noize did something almost unique that few music zines would do and have done; introduce their readers to the amazing and sadly virtually untapped world of music-related graphic novels. The […]

REVIEW: MICHAEL JACKSON: On the Wall exhibition, National Portrait Gallery, London 1
Live Reviews

REVIEW: MICHAEL JACKSON: On the Wall exhibition, National Portrait Gallery, London

August 13, 2018 Michael Barron

This year would have marked Michael Jackson’s sixtieth birthday, so the time feels right to commemorate the King of Pop. To say he was iconic wouldn’t do him justice. With the many creative accomplishments Jackson […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Black Delta Movement - 'Preservation'
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Black Delta Movement – ‘Preservation’

July 27, 2018 Michael Barron

Following their successful gig at Strongroom Bar, Shoreditch, London back in June, Black Delta Movement has finally confirmed details about their long-awaited debut album, Preservation. Matt Burr, one of the Kingston-Upon-Hull five-piece primary songwriters and […]

LIVE REVIEW: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Kentish Town Forum, London
Live Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Kentish Town Forum, London

July 27, 2018 Michael Barron

2018 was always going to be the year where hopes of a triumphant return of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) would materialize after all 2018 is the bands twentieth anniversary and the tenth year since […]

DJ D-SOL is confirmed as Goldman Sachs next board chair and chief executive.
News

DJ D-SOL is confirmed as Goldman Sachs next board chair and chief executive.

July 23, 2018 Michael Barron

Eat, Sleep, Trade, Repeat. DJ D-SOL is confirmed as Goldman Sachs next board chair and chief executive. This is not fake news or a pre-April fool’s joke, electronic dance DJ and music producer, DJ D-SOL […]

BOOK REVIEW: Nick Cave: 'Mercy on Me' by Reinhard Kleist
Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Nick Cave: ‘Mercy on Me’ by Reinhard Kleist

July 17, 2018 Michael Barron

In June 2018, courtesy of SelfMadeHero, XS Noize guided readers through the less ordinary life of Johnny Cash as told by Reinhard Kleist in his unique graphic novel: I See a Darkness. XS Noize has […]

LIVE REVIEW: City Beerfest 2018, Guildhall Yard, London
Live Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: City Beerfest 2018, Guildhall Yard, London

July 9, 2018 Michael Barron

XS Noize was invited to City Beerfest 2018, held in Guildhall Yard, London. Whilst for many, beer is an essential festival ingredient; music is an essential ingredient for all. It was pleasing to XS Noize […]

GORILLAZ Release New Studio Album The Now Now Out June 29th - Listen to Track
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Gorillaz – The Now Now

June 26, 2018 Michael Barron

It’s difficult to believe that twenty years ago, Gorillaz, “the world’s first virtual band” was born. The success of this brainchild of Damon Albarn and comic illustrator Jamie Hewlett lies in connecting “with fans by […]

THE BLACK DELTA MOVEMENT Announce debut album & share video
Live Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: Black Delta Movement @ Strongroom Bar, Shoreditch, London

June 25, 2018 Michael Barron

Despite not having yet released a full LP; everyone seems to have an opinion about the Black Delta Movement (or at least an interest in their sound). Probably one of the most interesting comments to […]

BOOK REVIEW: Johnny Cash: I See A Darkness By Reinhard Kleist
Book Reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Johnny Cash: I See A Darkness By Reinhard Kleist

June 19, 2018 Michael Barron

It is almost fifteen years ago since Johnny Cash passed away aged 71. His global impact on music cannot be understated. One could even attribute superhero status to him. Why? After all only superheroes get […]

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Paul Draper talks new solo tour, beards + Mansun reissues
Live Reviews

LIVE REVIEW: Paul Draper – Rough Trade East, London

June 13, 2018 Michael Barron

In 1997, Paul Draper, with his band Mansun, released their debut album, Attack of the Grey Lantern. XS Noize recently reviewed the twenty-first-anniversary re-issue, finding that this Mansun debut had stood the test of time, […]

ALBUM REVIEW: Hilary Woods - Colt
Album Reviews

ALBUM REVIEW: Hilary Woods – Colt

June 12, 2018 Michael Barron

What a stroke of luck, Hilary’s first teenage band experience was practically an overnight success, resulting in a stint international acclaim, two top twenty albums, four top forty singles (one of which would be named […]

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